Chapter 164 Duanwu

Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, the official residence of the prefect.

Tu Yi, the prefect of Shuntian, was reading at night with a candle in his study. His wife had sent someone to ask "Whether the master is placed?" twice, but he was reading it with great pleasure, so he waved his hand to pass it.

When it was the third time, the sound of footsteps from afar sounded from outside the window, and Tu Yi felt a little impatient. As soon as Chang Sui opened his mouth and called "Master...", he interrupted sternly: "Don't call me, Master, I'm studying! I'll go back if I'm sleepy!"

However, Chang Sui did not leave, but shouted anxiously: "Master! Prince Yong, Prince Yong is here!!"

"Ah?!" Tu Yi hurriedly left the book, walked over and opened the door in three or two steps, and said in surprise: "Who? Prince Yong? Official uniform!! Get the official uniform for me!"

Chang Sui waved his hand in a hurry and responded without any trouble: "Master, don't be anxious, Chen San'er has already gone to pick it up..."

Tu Yi stood in the yard and looked at the sky, waiting anxiously for the official uniform. Because it was the first day of the lunar month, there was no moon in the sky, and the surroundings were pitch black. When was this time? Prince Yong personally asked him to come here, it was probably not a good thing!

The weather was stuffy and there was no wind at all. Sweat quickly penetrated his gauze shirt. He no longer knew whether it was hot sweat or cold sweat.

The servant Chen Saner hurried over with his official uniform. Seeing that his clothes were wet with sweat, he hurriedly said, "Master, I'll take you a towel to wipe your sweat..."

Tu Yi snatched the official uniform, put it on himself, and cursed: "Do you want the prince to wait? Isn't this a slaughter?! Why don't you come and serve the master to dress!!"

Tu Yi was dressed neatly and hurriedly walked into the hall ahead. When he saw the lights in the hall from afar, he subconsciously stopped and put on his official uniform, calmed his mind, and then strode in to greet Prince Yong, who was sitting in the upright position.

Prince Yong made a straightforward approach and directly proposed to look at the registration books of the people who died in recent times and the books of the same period in recent years.

Tu Yi was stunned and felt a little surprised, but at this time he could not let him think too much, so he hurriedly led Prince Yong to the front government office, went to the room where the archives and books were stored in the back hall, opened the cabinet, took out the books that Prince Yong wanted, and spread them one by one on the table.

Prince Yong looked through the death records of the people in recent days and found that since April 27, there have been more than the deaths in previous years. In previous years, only three to five people reported deaths in the city in April and May, while on April 27 this year, six people died in one piece of Nancheng alone. Because two of them were old and four children, they were not very noticeable.

On the first day of May today, twenty-one people died in the Chengnan Daily, including many young and strong people, and those who had just died before died again.

A total of 49 people died in several streets with dense residents in Nancheng!

Tu Yi, who was standing beside Prince Yong, had already penetrated his official robe in cold sweat, and he felt that the huge crisis was approaching. Wen Hong, the master who was accompanying the book checking behind him, also looked fearful, and muttered in his ear, "Sir, this is not right... Could it be... Could it be..."

The word "Shi Epidemic" became like a mountain, which made his tongue twitch. He opened his mouth several times, but he didn't say it out.

Tu Yi naturally knew that he quietly raised his sleeves and wiped the sweat from his forehead, and went to see Prince Yong.

If it was really an epidemic, if it was discovered by Shuntian Prefecture, the superiors would naturally not blame it, and would also praise it; but if it was discovered by the superiors and Shuntian Prefecture did not know it, it would be a crime of misunderstanding. At that time, if the epidemic was to be controlled, it would only be atone for the sins; if it could not be controlled... Then the Shuntian Prefecture group was the first batch of sacrifices used by the imperial court to appease the people.

Although Prince Yong's face was not abnormal, his heart was thrust. It seemed that it was a certain timely epidemic. Fortunately, Cao Yong came to report it in time. Now he asked someone to prepare, it should not be too late.

*

The Dragon Boat Festival in the 50th year of the Kangxi reign has become a topic of the people after dinner many years.

Zhao Erniu from Nancheng, Wailu Hutong remembers clearly that it must have been since the second day of the fifth month that he felt something was wrong. He was a small businessman, and there was a small oil and salt shop in front of the alley.

That day, after breakfast, he told his wife to send money to the neighbor's house where the child was betrayed his son to make a gift, and then he came forward. When he arrived at the door of the shop, he was startled. Two big and thick men were standing in front of the shop. Perhaps he was impatient. They saw Zhao Erniu coming, looked up and down, and shouted loudly: "Is this shop yours?"

Zhao Erniu was frightened. Although he was frightened, he still smiled and nodded and said, "It's just a little bit of a villain's birth. I'm working hard for two men. It's early morning..." He touched his sleeves for a long time, but he only had two coins of silver. He wanted to take it out to honor these two people, but he was afraid that they would be angry.

"It's yours. Open the door quickly. It's not your family. Don't waste time!" The younger man from the two said, and he exclaimed, "I started to tossing since midnight last night, his grandma's!"

When Zhao Erniu heard that he was getting out of the shop, his legs were soft and he almost knelt down for them. Who was he trying to provoke whom? Is he going to copy the shop early in the morning?

The older one was so scared that his face was pale when he saw him, and he cursed: "Men are officials, not bandits. Are you afraid of being a dick? The Lord of the Mansion asked us to buy jealousy and open the door quickly!"

Zhao Erniu heard that he was just jealous, put down his snacks a little, and while unlocking the lock, he smiled and said, "Mr. Guan is really joking, but he is just jealous, and he is just a little respect."

"Okay, okay, what's the point?" The young man was impatient and saw him pushing open the door, he stepped in: "Where is jealous, don't keep it. Take all the weight!"

Although Zhao Erniu felt so painful, he dared not refuse to follow and lifted two jars of feet high from the counter: "Officials, all of them are here, they are all thirty kilograms per jar. The goods I just served yesterday, and this one from Kaifeng sold three and a half kilograms."

The old-age servant took out a piece of paper from his arms, took a pen from the counter, wrote "Two jars of old vinegar, a total of 56 and a half pounds", and handed it to Zhao Erniu: "I'll put it away, use this to Shuntian Mansion next month to pay the silver!"

Looking at the two of them walking towards the alley with a jealous jar, Zhao Erniu spitted on the ground and smeared: "Oh my god, I haven't heard that the government will coax whom to coax the government?" As he said that, he wanted to tear the paper. Seeing the red official seal, he was reluctant to put it away carefully, and he still wanted to rely on it in his heart.

At noon, Zhao Erniu's wife came to deliver food to him and said in a panic: "I don't know what's wrong with the Qin family? Not long after you leave, an official sent over!"

Zhao Erniu thought about the two jars of jealousy that were picked up in the morning, and couldn't help but mutter, "Why are the officials everywhere? Is there any way to survive?" Before he finished speaking, a group of soldiers rushed to the door and headed into the alley, and hurriedly said. Looking at the costume, they were from the Five City Military and Masjids. These soldiers had been taking advantage of the people in the past, but they didn't know which one they were looking at today.

Anyone whose family members die suddenly due to fever these days will receive a notice from the yamen that the body is not allowed to be buried, and the yamen must be responsible for burning it. In addition, other people in these households are not allowed to go out. They are sent outside the door to guard the Shuntian Mansion and the Wucheng Military and Masi. Doctors have come to have a simple diagnosis. Those who are sick will be isolated in the house, and those who are not sick will also drink medicine. In places where the deaths of the fever population are relatively concentrated, lime powder is sprinkled on the streets.

By the fourth day of the fifth month, not only the outer city, but also the inner city, the atmosphere became strange. Those who have elders at home, who have passed the old events of the previous dynasty will naturally not forget the major epidemic in the capital that ruined the Han people in the 17th year of Chongzhen. Although there are no rumors of epidemics yet, there are many people who think about this. Some families packed up their luggage and wanted to leave the capital to avoid them, but they couldn't even get out of the city gate.

Some people also have other arguments about martial law in the inner and outer cities. It is said that the nephew of someone's second uncle's brother-in-law is from the Nancheng Bingmasi, so through some rumors, I learned the inside story of the martial law in the capital. It turned out that recently a group of desperate people fled to the capital and robbed and killed dozens of people in the Nancheng alone. This is a major case that has not been seen in a century. Whether it is Shuntian Mansion or the Five City Bingmasi, they naturally used their energy to arrest them. Under the guise of checking "hot disease", several Guanhutongs were sealed and investigated from door to door.

On the fifth day of the fifth month, a notice was posted on the streets and alleys, and the decree was announced: From the sixth day of this month, no animals will be slaughtered for three days, pray for rain devoutly, and recite scriptures in various temples, and pray devoutly.

Every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, there are pomegranate flower parties in the south and north cities. People go to the market to watch operas, but this year there is no place. Contacting all kinds of rumors really makes the people feel panic. Once this sage of the rain is announced, it can be regarded as a temporary divert of the people's attention.

Since the beginning of spring, it has only rained twice, but the ground has not even been wet. The uneven rain is God’s warning to the superiors, and the emperor… Yes, this is far from thinking. Everyone is concerned about the line “not slaughtering animals for three days”. Those who are wealthy start to clean up ducks and geese in advance.

Xicheng, Cao Mansion.

After coming out of the hospital, Cao Yong and Chuyu, who had been worried about Amethyst for several days, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps because of the premature medicine, although Amethyst vomited and diarrhea twice a few days ago, she stopped afterwards. However, her body was a little weak and no other symptoms such as fever occurred. After these two days of care, she had gradually recovered, but she was not out of the house for safety reasons.

Amethyst was sick. Cao Yong and Chu Yu were unable to move. Where could there be a festival atmosphere in the mansion? Cao Song also sent someone to Zongxue to ask for leave and asked him to stay at home for a while. Cao Song gradually heard some rumors outside, and then thought that Amethyst was in Kuiyuan's courtyard and his brother and sister-in-law were avoiding others in his home. He was really worried.

Fortunately, Cao Yong only stayed in the study for a few days and did not show any wrong symptoms, which made Cao Song calm down.

Because the infantry yamen assisted Shuntian Prefecture in the inner city to prevent the epidemic was not going well, Prince Yong temporarily pulled Cao Yong out of the Ministry of Revenue.

The inner city lived either the bannermen or the royal family, or the officials and nobles, so how could they take those soldiers seriously? If the servants died, there was no reason why the master was sealed for them for their own fatigue. If the family members died, it would be a big deal to get buried. After a few days, Prince Yong understood that if no one was suppressing him here, he would be afraid that the epidemic in the outer city would be prevented, and the inner city would be unable to prevent it.

All civil and military officials, princes and ministers all live in the inner city. If there is a concentrated epidemic, it will be terrible. Although the decree for rain was arrived two days ago, the epidemic had not arrived yet. It is estimated that when the decree was issued, the urgent letter from the capital had not yet arrived.

Because he had to wait for Kangxi's order, only a few princes and ministers knew about the word "epidemic" and how could these people go to follow the people from the infantry yamen to investigate the epidemic? Finally, he thought of Cao Yong. Cao Yong was an insider. Although his official position was not high, he had the title of princess and princess.

No one is allowed to enter the Kuiyuan Courtyard. The princess-in-law has been in the study room of the front yard these days, and Madam Ye also felt something was wrong. Today it is the Dragon Boat Festival again. According to the rules, the married daughter wants to go back to her parents' home to visit her parents' parents. However, the princess said that she had sent someone to the royal palace to deliver a letter yesterday, saying that because there was something wrong in the mansion, she didn't have to send a car to pick her up.

What could be done? It was just because of Amethyst's disease? Madam Ye was dissatisfied and couldn't see Chu Yu, so she complained to Xiyun and a few words: "It's just for a maid. Even if she had a love affair, she didn't have to give her like an aunt like this! Both of the two authentic aunts are not as pretentious as her! Even if she treats her servants with lenient treatment, she is really a waste of her maid! She is born in a coat, not as generous as other families!"

Madam Ye spoke "maid" at once, and Xiyun and others were tired of hearing it. Among them, Xiyan was quick-talking and sneered: "Listen to Madam, the maid's life is irrelevant. No matter how many years he has been serving his master, it is reasonable to pull it away when he is sick?"

Madam Ye reacted that she had a wrong word and shouldn't have said these things in front of them. She laughed twice and went out.

*

Ning Chun also arrived in Beijing on the Dragon Boat Festival. Since he received the news that Qiu Niang was sick, he could not stay there. He found an excuse to ask the doctor for leave and rushed back to the capital.

Because it happened to be a festival, Ning Chun thought in her heart that if she met a new purse sachet on the road, she would buy a few for Qiuniang, which would not only meet the festival scene, but also please her. She was halfway through her illness. She could just spend some time with her. These days, she had exhausted him in Baoding. Every day when she dragged her tired body to bed, he missed Qiuniang more and more.

He thought it well, but when he entered the city, he felt that the atmosphere was very wrong, far less than the bustling Dragon Boat Festival in previous years. There were few pedestrians on the streets, and some shops on both sides were closed. Yemen was deserted and seemed very desolate.

Along the way, there were no peddlers who used to sell small things and other things. After walking through several alleys, they saw signs posted by the doors of several families, and there were officers and soldiers guarding the doors. Ning Chun was very surprised, but at this time he was not in the mood to care about other people's affairs. It was important to go and see Qiuniang first.

When they arrived at the Eggplant Hutong southwest of the city, Ning Chun met again the officers and soldiers wearing 50% of the military uniforms. There were eight of them standing at the doors of several adjacent families, two of whom were standing in front of their own doors!

Ning Chun was shocked, and hurriedly turned over and dismounted, walked to the door, clasped his fists to the officers and soldiers at the door, and asked with a smile: "Thank you for your hard work, I wonder what this family has done?" As he said that, he covered his sleeves and stuffed a piece of silver into the hands of the officers and soldiers.

The officer and soldier pinched the silver quietly, about one or two taels, quite satisfied, and quietly stuffed it into his sleeves. While looking at Ning Chun up and down, he said, "Look at your dust, you have only come back after hitting outside? But you have been out for some days. Now, there are fever-related diseases in Beijing. Anyone who dies of fever will not be allowed to enter and exit the family." He said, pointing to the notice on the wall next to him, "Look, that's it."

"The fever is dead..." Ning Chun felt like he was knocked on a stick, his head buzzed and his feet became weak. He was anxious and grabbed the officer and soldier's sleeves and asked stammered: "This family, this family, is dead? Who is dead?"

Seeing that his face changed drastically and his words and deeds were abnormal, the two officers and soldiers couldn't help but say, "What? Do you recognize this family?"

Ning Chun was anxious and didn't wait for the two of them to answer, and pushed them away and knocked on the door. The two officers and soldiers hurriedly pulled him: "Hey, what are you doing? This house is closed, and no one is allowed to go in!"

Ning Chun also had two moves on his body. He pushed one down with one hand and freed his hand. He smashed it on the door, shouting, "Qiu Niang! Qiu Niang! I'm back! Qiu Niang! You answer, Qiu Niang!"

The two officers and soldiers rushed up and twisted his arm, but they could not subdue him. They asked him to break free again. When the officers and soldiers in the alley saw him, they also came to help. Three or five people dragged Ning Chun away from the door. Ning Chun's arm was twisted, and he still called "Qiu Niang" in his mouth.

After hearing the news, the people in the yard ran to the door by the wall. Because the officers and soldiers had been guarding for several days, everyone was afraid and did not dare to open the door. Chang Gui and his wife shouted through the door: "Third Master, is it the Third Master?"

Ning Chun heard that it was them and became even more anxious: "Where is Qiu Niang? Where is Qiu Niang!"
Chapter completed!